scott mackay

On Politics

3:00 am

Wed June 13, 2012

Former RI state police col. Brendan Doherty of Cumberland , the GOP candidate for U.S. House in the 1st District, has been moving his feet lately. Besides picking up endorsements from some Democrats, including onetime Boston Mayor Ray Flynn (a PC basketball star), former Newport State Rep. Jimmy Mahoney and former RI State Rep. Joanne Giannini of Providence’s Mount Pleasant district, Doherty has been holding meet-and-greets and fund-raisers almost every evening.

On Politics

4:00 am

Fri June 8, 2012

The nursing school that was to be shared by the University of Rhode Island and Rhode Island College is on life support. RIPR political analyst Scott MacKay wonders if this project became a victim of our state’s legendary turf battles.

When it was proposed two years ago, the plan to build a new $60 million nursing school in Providence’s Jewelry District was what politicians, business leaders and educators like to call a “win-win.’’

On Politics

5:00 am

Thu June 7, 2012

Inquiring minds in the state public defenders office and beyond are wondering just what kind of game Senate President Teresa Paiva Weed, D-Newport, is playing with Governor Lincoln Chafee’s nomination of Mary S. McElroy to be the state’s chief public defender.

McElroy has stellar credentials and 20 years experience in the public defender’s office. She would also be the first woman to hold the job.

On Politics

5:00 am

Mon June 4, 2012

House Speaker Gordon Fox, D-Providence and Senate President Teresa Paiva Weed, D-Newport have both been largely silent on their roles in the doomed Curt Schilling-38 Studios video game deal.

But the two have combined to send out one of those frivolous State House `news’ releases honoring the 100th anniversary of Boston’s Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sawx, the team Schilling once pitched for.

On Politics

5:00 am

Fri June 1, 2012

The cliché that organized labor controls the General Assembly has become one of the biggest fallacies in Rhode Island politics. RIPR political analyst Scott MacKay explains.

Conservative Republicans, some business and media leaders and more than a few Democrats these days say that Rhode Island’s economic troubles stem from organized labor’s political influence. If only that were true. As George Nee, president of the state AFL-CIO laments, “we’ve taken a lot of bruises lately.’’